Apparatus for treating liquids.



K. W. BARTLETT.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED 3115313, 1910.

1,01%723. Patented Feb. 20,1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Z7 g I I jkze f eiz/r Patented Feb. 20, 1912 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

K. W. BARTLETT. APPARATUS FOR TREATING LIQUIDS, APPLICATION FILED mm 13,1910.

fatented Feb. 20, 1912.

a SHEETS-SHEET a.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KENT W. BARTLETT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; ASSIGNOR TO NORTHERN WATERSOFTENER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING LIQUIDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

Application filed June 13, 1910. Serial ll'o. 566,514.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KENT W. BARTLETT, a. citizen of the United States,residing at Chieago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Treating Liquids,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to an apparatus for treating water soas to soften thesame and especially to an apparatus in which lime heldin suspension in water is the reagentemployed.

The demand for softened water from a water softening apparatus is almostinvariably irregular and, as it is customary to maintain a substantiallyconstant supply of softened 'ater, raw water will enter the apparatus atcontinually varying rates. Since it is necessary to maintain a definitepropor tion between the amount of raw water supplied and the chemicalreagent, the irregularity in the demand for softened water andconsequently the irregularity in the flow of raw water to be treated,necessitates that the rate at which the reagent is introduced must alsobe continually varied in order that the correct proportion between rawwater and the reagent may be maintained.

The object of my invention is to produce an apparatus of the characterdescribed above, wherein the correct proportion between the incoming rawwater and the chemical reagent. which is mixed therewith may beaccurately maintained during all of the varying conditions of service.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterizcdwill hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims: butfor a full understanding of my invcl'ltion and of its object andadvantages. reference may be. had to the following detailed descriptiontaken in connection with thclaccompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1shows a'fragmcnt of a mixing and storing reservoir having associatedtherewith an apparatus for supplying raw water and a chemical reagent inaccordance with a pl'cfc 'red form of my invention; Fig. 2 is a planview on an enlarged scale. the mixing and storage re ervoir hciugomitcd: Fig. 3 is an elevationaI view in Fig. 2: and Figs. 4 and 5 aresections taken on line 1 --.'"1 of Fig. 3. showing two ditl'ercnt wlking conditions.

In accordance with my invention I provide a tank for holding thechemical reagent together with means for supplying water simultaneouslyto the tank and to the mixing and storing reservoir. there being an overflow from the chemical tank to the main res-. ervoir: and control thewater so supplied in 'such a manner that the proportion be tween theamount of water supplied to the. chemical tank and that supplieddirectly to the main reservoir is progressively increased as thestrength of the solution in the chemical tank diminishes, thusconstantly maintaining the proper proportion between the amount of rawwater and the amount of the chemical reagent actually contained in thesolution supplied to the main reservoir. It will be seen that byeli'ecting the regulation through control of the raw water. it may beaccomplished much more col'iveniently and with greater accuracy than thecase where it is attempted to control the liquid flowing from thechemical tank. by varying the size of a valve opening or weir throughwhich the solution passes; this being for the reason that the lime whichis held in suspension in the chemical tank is constantly tending tosettle and deposit about the discharge openings or in pipes and can onlybe prevented from so doing by providing an extremely eflic-ient systemof agitation. which it is almost impossible to do.

Referring to the drawings. A represents a combined storage reservoir fortreated water and mixing reservoir for raw water and a. chemicalreagent. This reservoir may take any usual or preferred form and I shalltherefore refrain from giving any detailed description thereof.

. Mounted above the mai reservoir are two tanks. B and (I. the formerbeing for the. purpose of holding a chemical reagent and the other beinga water-receiving tank for controlling purposes. These two tanks mayconvel'iicntly be made in the forum of a single member divided into two(Oll'lPfiltldBl'ltS by a suitable partition. The chemical tank is ofsuch size that it will hold sullicient lime in suspension, together withsuch other chemicals as may be namired. to afford a. supply of thechemical reagent for a run of considerahle length of the apparatus atfull capacity, the contents of the tank being caused to overflow intothe main reservoir through able gate I.

a gate or port 6, as required. In the arrangement shown, the water tankC is exactly like the chemical tank both in size and shape although, aswill hereinafter appear, it is not necessary that these tanks be of thesame size sincetheir capacities may bear any desired relation to eachother.

D is a chamber mounted above the tank G and adapted to receive raw waterfrom any suitable source. In the arrangement shown the water is adaptedto enter through a port at at one end and adjacent to this end areplaced two hatlie plates E and E so that the force of the incoming wateris broken before it can reach the main portion of the cham her and thewater in the' main portion of the chamber will at all times becomparatively quiet. The chamber D has two weirs F and G. These weirsare placed at the same level and are of the same height-so that wheneverwater flows through one it will always llow through the other at a ratebearing a definite proportion to the rate of flow through the other. Theweir F may be provided with an adjustable gate H for the purpose ofvarying the width of the weir. The weir G is also provided with anadjustable gate I. \Vhen water flows through the weir I it fallsdirectly into the main reservoir. Beneath the weir Gr is a trough Kwhich is pro vided with two openings through the bottom, L and L. Theopening L'- registers with a pipe L which discharges into the upper endof the chemical tank. The opening L is arranged directly above the watertank C so that water flowing therethrough falls into this tank. It willbe seen that when water flows into the trough, a part of it passes tothe chemical tank and the remainder passes into the tank C. In the arrangement shown, the tanks B and C are alike, as I have already stated,and therefore I make the openings L and L of exactly the same size sothat the amount of water which flows into either of the tanks B and C isequal to that which flows into the other.

'ithin the tank (I is a float M connected by suitable lever mechanism "Nto the adjust- The arrangement is such that when the float is in itslowermost position the weir opening G is at its narrowest; the

width of the weir opening G being increased as the float rises.

The operation is as follows: The chemical tank is tilled until it isjust ready to overflow, the tank being left empty so that the float isin its lowermost position and the weir opening (it is at its narrowest.\Vater is then allowed to run into the receiving chamber l) and, when itreaches the level of the twins l and (it, begins to flow through theseweirs into the main reservoir and into the trough K, respectively. Thewater in the trough (llVltltS, half going into the tank 15 and the otherhalf into'the tank G. 'lhc water entering the tank B displaces an equalamount of theliquid contained therein so that a volume of chemicalsolution equal to the volume of water entering this tank will overflowinto the main reservoir. The parts are so proportioned. that this amountof chemical is just enough to efl'ect the desired softening of thevolume of water which has passed into the main reservoir. It will beseen, however, that as the flow 01' water into the' chemical tank andthe flow of chemical mixture from the tank continues, the mixture in thechemical tank becomes progressively weaker so that the volume of thechemical solution or mixture which must be supplied to the'mainreservoir for a given volume of incoming raw water must'be progressivelyincreased in order to maintain the desired proportion between thechemical reagent and the raw water. This increase in the rate of flow ofthe chemical is automatically effected through the rise of water in thetank C, which causes the float to be graduhlly elevated and open thegateI wider and wider. Of course an increase in the weir opening G increasesthe proportion between the amount of water flowing into the chemicaltank and the amount of water flowing directly into the main reservoirand consequently increases the proportion between the amount ofliquidflowing from the chemical tank and the water flowing directly into themain reservoir. It will be seen that. if the chemical tank has beencharged so as to provide enough of the chemical reagent to last for arun of eighteen hours, at full capacity, then, after a consumption ofsoftened water, corresponding to a run at full on; city for nine hours,the strength of the cln 'iical solution will be only one half what. wasbefore; but, by reason of the graduai widening of the weir opening G,the rate of flow through the weir F, has doubied so that twice as muchsolution as at the start will flow from the chemical tank for a givenamount of raw water flowing into the main reservoir. In the same way therelative rates of flowof chemical solution and of raw water areautomatieall varied so as to maintain the proper ratio of raw water andchemical reagent at all times. After the chemical mixture in the supplytank has become sufliciently weakened, enough chemical is added to bringit up to its original strength, the tank C is emptiechand the operationthen proceeds as before.

It will now be seen that. the relative capurities of the-tanks B and C,may be anything desired since the. relative iizes of the outletsfromt-he trough may be such as to etl'ect apropor division between thewater entering the trough and thus cause the float to control the gate Iin such a way as to compensate forthe diminishing strength of thechemical mixture in the tank.

lhe chemical mixture may be agitated in any suitable way as, forexample, by forcing air into the tank through a perforated pipe 0. Ifdesired, a slaking tank 1 may be arranged above the chemical tank; thelime being slaked in this tank and impurities removed before it isallowed to-enter the chemical tank. Q indicates a return pipe or elbowextending between the tanks B and P, there being a branch air pipe 0opening into the lower end of this. pipe. 0 is a three-way valve whichwill permit air to be shut off completely or to be supplied to either ofthe pipes O or 0'.

It will now be seen that I have devised a simple and etlicient apparatusfor accurately treating water which is being consumed at any desiredrate, since the accuracy' of the treatment depends entirely upon theaccuracy with which theoriginal raw water is separated at the ,weirs Fand G. By providingthe Weir F with an adjustable gate, the weir openingsmay be delicately adjusted. It will also be seen that because theproportion and control are effected on the plain clean water and not ongritty and corrosive chemicals Which 'Will clog and corrode orifices andpipes, thereby changing the amount of chemical that will pass through agiven orifice or pipe, the accuracy of the proportion between thechemical and raw water, it originally correct, will be maintained.

While the chemical is, in the embodiment of the invention herein shown,supplied directly from the chemical tank to the mixing reservoir, I donot wish to be limited to the direct transfer of the chemical from thechemical tank to the mixing reservoir.

lVhile' I have illustrated and described with particularity only asingle form of my invention I donot desire to be limited to the specificdetails so illustrated and described; but intend covering allconstructions and arrangements which fall. within the terms employed inthe definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

What I claim is:' I

-1. In combination, a mixing reservoir,- :1 chemical tank having anoverflow outlet for permitting chcmicalto flow into the mixingreservoir, means for su 'iplying water to said reservoir, means fordelivering water into said tank during the time water is being suppliedto the reservoir, and devices for governing the latter means so as toincrease the rate of delivery of water to said tank relative to the rateof flow of water into i50-said reservoir with increases in the totalvolume of water introduced. in the reservoir.

2. In combiiiation, a mixing reservoir, a chemical tank having anoverflow outlet for permitting chemical to flow into said reservoir,means for supplying water to said to increase the rate of flow of waterinto.

said tank relative to the rate of flow into said reservoir.

3. In combination, a. mixing reservoir, a chemical tank having anoverflow outlet for permitting'chemical to flow into the mixingreservoir, means for supplying water to said reservoir, means forcausing water to flow into said tank during the time wateris flowinginto said reservoir and at a rate proportioned to the rate of flow ofWater intothe said reservoir, and controlling devices governed by thetotal amount of Water received in the reservoir for progressivelyincreasing the rate of flow of Water into said tank relative to the rateof flow of Water into 8-5 said reservoir.

at. In combination, a mixing reservoir, a chemical tank having anoverflow outlet for permitting chemical to flow into the mixingreservoir, means for-supplying 90.

Water to said reservoir, means for causing water to flow into said tankduring the time Water is flowing into said reservoir and at a rateproportioned to the rate of flow of water into the said reservoir, and 9a controlling device governed by the total amount of Waterreceived inthe reservoir .for controlling the latter means so as progressively toincrease the rate-of flow of water into said tank relative to the rateof flow of water into said reservoir.

5. In combination, a source of liquid supply, a liquid tank, a chemicaltank, means including a valve for permitting liquid to How from saidsource of liquid supply into each of theaforesaid tanks, and a devicegoverned by the liquid level in the liquid tank for progressivelyoperating said valve progressively to increase the quantity of liquiddischarged into said chemical tank relative to the quantity of liquiddischarged from the source of liquid supply.

6. In combination, a source of liquid supply, a liquid tank, a chemicaltank discharging into the liquid, means for permitting liquid to flowfrom said source of liquid supply into each of the tanks, and a devicegovernedby the liquid. level in the liquid tank fonprogressivelyoperating said means 1')rogressively to increase the quantity of liquiddischarged into said chemical tank relative to the quantity of liquiddischarged from the source of liquid supply.

7. In combination, a supply tank. a water tank, a chemical tank, meansincluding 1 valve for permitting water to How from the said simply tankto each of the other tanks. and a float connected to said valve andextending into said water tank, the arrangement being such that a risein the Water 136 level in the Water tank causes the valve to open morewidely.

8. In combination, two tanks, a source of supply of water, a trough forreceiving Water from said source, a valve controlling the flow of waterinto said trough, there be ing independent outlets from said trough intosaid tanks, and means governed by the Water level in one of said tanksfor actuating said valve, so as to open. the samemore widely as theWater level rises. 9. In combination, a mixing reservoir, a supply tank,a-water tank, a chemical tank, said chemical-tank having an overflowoutlet to said mixing reservoir, means for permitting water to flow fromsaid supply tank to saidreservoir, means for permitting water to flowfrom said supply tank to each of the'other tanks'at a rate proportionateto the rate of flow into said reservoir, a controlling device forvarying the rate of flow into said tanks, and. means governed by theWater level in said water tank for actuating said device.

10. In combination, a mixing reservoir, a

source of water supply, a water. tank, a

chemical tank having an-overflow outlet. to said reservoir, means'forpermitting Water to flow from'said source to-said reservoir, means forpermittin water to flow from said source to each 0 said tanks during thetime Water flows from said source to said reservoir and at a rateproportionate to the rate of such flow, and a device governed by thewater level in said water tank for controlling the latter means so as toincrease the rate of flow to said tanks relative to the rate of flow tosaid reservoir as said level rises. 1

11. In combination, a mixing reservoir,a supply tank, a water tank, achemical tank having an overflow outlet to said reservoir, there being aport in said supply tank for permitting water to How to the saidreservoir, a trough adjacent to said supply tank,

' there being a second port in said supply tank above said trough, saidsecond port being at the same level and having the same heightas theother port, a valve for controlling the effective width of said secondport, there being independentoutlets from said trough to the water tankand the chemical tank, and

' means controlled by the water level in-the said Water tank foractuating said valve to increase the efl'ectlve width of said secondport asthe water level in said water tank rises.

12. Apparatus for treating liquid including a source of liquid supplyfrom which liquid to be treated is furnished, a chemical tank from whichliquid chemical may be passed into the liquid to he treated and fromwhich rhelnical tank chemical may be discharged in progressivelyincreasing quantity, and means for causing the passage of liquid intothe chemical tank in progres s1vely increasing quantity relative to thequantity of liquid passed from-said source of liquid supply whereby thequantity of;

liquid chemical passing from the chemical tank increases progressivelywith respect to the quantity of liquid furnished for treatment from thesource of liquid supply, to compensate for reduction in the strength ofthe liquid chemical.

13. Apparatus for treating liquid includ ing a source of liquid supplyfrom which liquid to be treated is furnished, a chemical tank from whichliquid chemical may be passed into the liquid to be treated and fromwhich chemical tank chemical may be discharged in progressivelyincreasing quantity, and means, governedby the liquid, for causing thepassage of liquid into the chemical tank inprogressively increasingquantity relative to the quantity of liquid passed from said source ofliquid su iply whereby the quantity of liquid chemical passing from thechemical tank increases progressively Withrespect to the quantityofliquid tur- 5 ing quantity relative to the quantity of liquid passedfrom said source of liquid supply into said receptacle whereby thequantity of liquid chemical passing from the chemical tank increasesprogressively with respect to the quantity of liquid passing into saidreceptacle, to compensate forreduction in the strength of the liquidchemical.

- 15, Apparatus for treating liquid including a source of liquid supply,a receptacle into which liquid to be treated is passed from said sourceof liquid supply, a chemical tank from which liquid chemical may bepassed into said receptacle and from which chemical tank chemical may bedischarged in. progressively increasing quantity, and means, governedbythe liquid, for causin the passage of liquid into the chemical, tangin progressively increasing quantity relative to the quantityof-liquidpassed from said.

source of liquid supply into saidreceptacle whereby the quantity ofliquid chemical progressively with respect to, the quantity of liquidpassing into said receptacle, to c0m-- pensate for reduction in thestrength ofthe liquid chemical.

v passing from the chemical tank increases.

16. In combination, a source of liquid supof liquid discharged from fhesource of 10 ply, a liquid tank, a. chemical tank dischargliquid supply.ing into the liquid, means for permitting In testimony whereof, I signthis specific-Liliquid to How from said source of liquid tion in thepresence of iwc witnesses. supply into each of the tanks, end a devicegoverned by the liquid for progressively KENT W. BARTLETT. operatingsaid means progressively to increase the quantity of liquid dischargedinto said chemical tank relative to the quantity l'Vitnesses HARRY S.GAITHER, EUGENE H. GARNETI.

Correction in Letters Patent No. 1,017,728.

It is hcrebv vertilicd that Letturs Patent Nu Qjsw granted Febi'ual'v JL v a i 1912, upon the application of Kvni 3'. llni'licu, of Chicago,Illinois, for an improvemcnl; in Apparatus for Treating ljiquida." wm'eurrunvously issued to Northvrn Wutvr Softmwr Company, as usslgnuo ofsiliil invention, wl orvzw said Letters Piliflhl .slmuld have beenissued to the inventor, li'rnl ll. Kart/alt, an Role Winner of vii/1'01w, Mimi null that. tl'nsaid Letters Patent should lw read with thiscorrevtion iliun-in flint ilw name may \Ullfb'dl to the I've-0rd 9f thecase in the Patent ()flice.

Signv-l and walod this liltli day of March, A. 1)., 1912.

(1. C. BILLINGS,

Ac-tz'ny Commissioner 0 (Ifef/flel.

lsEAL. j

